University of California, Los Angeles – In a recent study and review published by Cell Metabolism (23: 785-796, 921-929; 10 May 2016), members of the Teitell Lab in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine report a landmark proof-of-principle transfer of isolated mitochondria into mammalian cells using the photothermal nanoblade, restoring metabolic network activity in mitochondrial DNA-deficient cells. A highly efficient delivery mechanism for large cargoes into living cells, the nanoblade platform represents a novel methodology for studying mitochondrial disease and can deliver insight into the future of mitochondrial reverse genetics.
